SAKE MATSURI SINGAPORE RETURNS FROM 15 TO 17 NOVEMBER

SM 2024_DAY 2_8EDT-245

SAKE MATSURI SINGAPORE RETURNS FROM 15 TO 17 NOVEMBER WITH MORE THAN 300 SAKE LABELS – LARGEST EVER SHOWCASE

Several homegrown “Singapore” sake labels will be available for tasting alongside premium Japanese sake for the first time
An all-new VIP Pass will allow full-day access to sake tasting and on-site masterclasses

Sake Matsuri Singapore is returning to the iconic F1 Pit Building from 15 to 17 November 2024 with more than 300 sake and Japanese spirits from nearly 100 breweries – its largest showcase ever. This time, it will cater to the most zealous sake enthusiasts with an all-day access VIP Pass that entitles holders to free-flow sake all day long. Festival-goers can look forward to a fully air-conditioned venue, where they can enjoy their favourite sake without worrying about rising mercury levels. For the first time in the festival’s history, a number of homegrown “Singapore” labels will debut alongside Japanese breweries, many of which are launching their sake for the first time to an international market. “This is a momentous time in the history of Sake Matsuri. For four years, we have worked hard to raise the level of appreciation of the beverage and finally, at our 9th edition, we have the honour of showcasing several new homegrown sake! This is testament to how much sake has gained popularity here,” said Mr Kevin Ngan, Co-founder of Sake Matsuri Singapore.

Expanding on the festival experience, The Oyster Cart and Ye Olde Cow will serve up sumptuous festival grub from food trucks. Festival-goers can fuel up on fresh seafood and smashed dry-aged beef burgers, as they enjoy sake purchased at exclusive festival prices. Those looking for a true-blue Japanese experience can also indulge in “The Otsumami Experience”, which refers to the ancient art of pairing sake with snacks. This practice has existed since the 9th century Heian period – Japan’s Golden Age – and participants will be able to sample more than 50 snacks, while learning about the perfect otsumami pairings for their favourite sake. Sake Matsuri will also debut its first collaborative “ochoko” with renowned local ceramics studio Mud Rock Ceramics. An exclusive batch of the traditional Japanese sake cup will be up for grabs at the festival, alongside other handmade pieces.

Tickets for the free-flow sessions are priced at $55 per person or $250 for a limited batch of 5-ticket bundles. A special VIP Pass is available at $128, which includes access to daylong free-flow sessions, complimentary access to on-site masterclasses, a Sake Matsuri x Mud Rock Ceramics ochoko, and a $20 food and beverage voucher.

Free-flow sake highlights

Among sake labels launching outside of Japan for the first time is the “Miyanomatsu Misty Origarami Nama”, an unpasteurised sake that has been aged for 18 months. Unpasteurised sake – known as namazake – is best drunk fresh from a brewery’s tap to experience its vibrant and rousing flavours. It must be refrigerated and is usually consumed quickly to ensure the sake’s freshness.

Aged namazake, such as the “Miyanomatsu Misty Origarami Nama”, is therefore often considered a new frontier in sake because the ageing process brings out its uniquely bold flavours. The origarami sake is made with red yeast and carefully aged for 18 months at ice-cold temperatures. It is lightly cloudy, boasting strong rice umami flavours and topped with a slight fizz.

The local sake scene has been on a tear in recent months, with the launch of Singapore’s first sake brewery Orchid Craftworks in August this year, and the crowning of Mr Adrian Goh, Co-founder of Sake Matsuri, as Singapore’s first Sake Samurai.

Orchid Craftworks has released a range of unique made-in-Singapore sake that includes a one-of-a-kind cream sake infused with flavours like “Mao Shan Wang” durian and cempedak. It has also produced “uTama THE 2ND Junmai Shiboritate Nama”, an unpasteurised 70% Junmai clear sake with strawberry, melon and mint notes. While sake with 70% rice polishing ratio is usually less fruity with a heavier taste of rice, this bottle displays characteristics more akin to a Daiginjo replete with its bright aromatic profile and cleanness.

Newly crowned Sake Samurai Adrian Goh is also unveiling his new creation at the festival – a sake which he personally brewed in Niigata, Japan. “TheArtOfSake Junmai Daiginjo Kimoto Henpei EP 1 – The Beginning” is a Kimoto-style Junmai Daiginjo brewed using the “henpei” flat rice polishing method to achieve the equivalent of a 30% rice polishing ratio. The sake is clean tasting, fruity on the palate, revealing delicate lychee aromas and musky notes of peaches and nectarines.

Other showcasing labels with Singapore connections include the “Fukuryu Junmai Daiginjo”, brewed exclusively in Saga prefecture for local distributor Woodstock Beverages. Using only Saga yeast and Yamadanishiki rice grown by farmers in the same prefecture, the rice is carefully polished to 48%, rarely seen even in Junmai Daiginjo sake. The bottle label depicts a dragon, the most auspicious animal in the Chinese zodiac, making it a worthy collectible in the year of the dragon.

Singapore-based Youtube star Ghib Ojisan will also be showcasing a range of sake that he has carefully curated for distribution in Singapore, such as the debuting “Dainagawa Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Genshu – Durian”. Combining his love for Singapore and his Japanese roots, Ghib has designed a quirky bottle label bearing an illustration of a durian, the king of fruits.

The Junmai Daiginjo is brewed with Yamadanishiki – the king of sake rice. It is unfiltered and only pasteurised once, so it retains the clear and refreshing taste characteristic of the rice type, while exuding a fruity ginjo aroma lent by the brewery’s yeast.

Please refer to Annex A for more sake highlights.

Deepening the nation’s love for sake

This year, VIP Pass-holders have exclusive access to on-site 30-minute masterclasses guided by Singapore’s very own sake experts. In these deep dive sessions, participants can explore how sake aromas influence flavour profiles, try their hand at blending their own sake, and also get a taste of the most luxurious labels. Access to masterclasses is on a first-come-first-served basis.

For more details, please refer to Annex B.

Sake Matsuri’s trade show – the only sake-centred trade show in Singapore – will take place on 15 November, prefacing the festival’s free flow sessions. During the event, three renowned industry experts from the region will be sharing their knowledge about sake: Entry to the trade show is complimentary for food and beverage industry professionals with preregistration at sakematsuri.sg.

Please refer to Annex C for more details on the sharing sessions.

Sake Matsuri Festival Details

The 9th edition of Sake Matsuri Singapore will take place at the F1 Pit Building (Garage), 1 Republic Boulevard, Singapore 038975. The venue will be fully air-conditioned. All tickets can be purchased at www.sakematsuri.sg

VIP Pass

Date: 16 & 17 November 2024 (Saturday & Sunday): 11am to 2pm & 4pm to 7pm
Price: $128/person
Ticket Inclusives:

Full day access to 2 sessions of free flow sampling
Complimentary access to on-site masterclasses (first-come-first-served)
Sake Matsuri Riedel crystal glass
Exclusive Sake Matsuri ochoko (sake cup) by Mud Rock Ceramics valued at $28
$20 food and beverage voucher (only valid during the festival)

Free-Flow Sessions

Date:

15 November 2024 (Friday): 6pm to 9pm
16 & 17 November 2024 (Saturday & Sunday): 11am to 2pm or 4pm to 7pm

Price: $55/person or $250 for a bundle of five (limited quantity and while stocks last)

Ticket Inclusives:

Three hours of free flow sampling, a Sake Matsuri Riedel crystal glass and purchase of sake at exclusive festival prices

Trade Show

Date: 15 November 2024 (Friday): 12pm to 4pm
Price: Free for Food and Beverage industry professionals, with pre-registration at www.sakematsuri.sg.

RSVP For Trade Show